Predicting wireless sensor networks

Fast simulation technique for exploring design trade-offs

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are constructed in an area or building by distributing autonomous network nodes to provide a single, cooperative application.

Ensuring cost-effective and reliable operation is a key challenge in designing WSN applications. It requires a trade-off between the set-up and number of nodes, their resultant, cooperative performance as a system, and the overall level of power consumption.

This simulation technique allows fast and accurate performance evaluation of WSN designs. It allows system designers to rapidly explore alternate configurations, such as on node numbers, node placement, transmission power, etc., at a fraction of the simulation time required for detailed WSN models. Yet the method is still accurate to within a few percent. This enables designers to systematically dimension a WSN in a very short time.

Method details

Method description

Analyse system configuration trade-offs to be explored

Calibrate radio propagation characteristics for target environment

Configure the WSN system-level mode

Run fast simulations and analyse system-level metrics with alternate configurations to select the best deployment